Daily morning traffic jams occur in front of Myawaddy-Thingyan Friendship Bridge (1) on Myanmar-Thailand border

It is known that daily morning traffic jams are occurring in front of the Myawaddy-Thingyan Friendship Bridge (1) on the Myawaddy side of the Myanmar-Thailand border. A local resident of Myawaddy said that the daily morning traffic jams at the entrance of the Myawaddy Friendship Bridge are caused by vehicles heading to Thailand and local residents' vehicles parking in a disorderly manner, and that authorities need to strictly enforce regulations. "Even monks have to avoid them when they go to receive alms. For such a wide main road, we want the authorities to strictly enforce regulations so that motor vehicles can line up systematically and maintain discipline," said a local resident of Myawaddy. Although passenger transport vehicles from Myawaddy to Thailand used to enter Thailand two or three times a day, they now only enter once a day because the Thai customs charge 300 baht for vehicles entering twice a day, claiming they are refueling, according to a driver. "They don't distinguish between school buses and shopping cars anymore. If they enter twice, they charge 300 baht for refueling. When asked if it was legal, they said if you don't want to pay, don't come in. Our Myanmar cars cannot enter Thailand for free. We have to pay a deposit called 'Pugan'. We also have to pay 100 baht every time we enter. Our citizens going to Thailand bring them a lot of benefits. If one person enters, it's 40 baht, and over 2,000 people enter and exit daily. Cars are also 100 baht per car, and there are hundreds daily. However, Myanmar citizens and Myanmar cars are always looked down upon," said the driver. A resident living near the Myawaddy Friendship Bridge said, "The traffic jam is caused by cars parked in two rows at the entrance of Bridge (1) waiting for passengers without going to Mae Sot. Cars going to Mae Sot are not stopping in their lanes. It should be cleared from in front of the Kunkin Monastery," he said. In addition, it is known that the number of people going to Thailand to buy gasoline is increasing because some gasoline stations in Myawaddy city do not sell to licensed vehicles at the government-set price, but only sell at the market price to unlicensed vehicles.